Love is Everlasting
by susan cousineau
Summary: This is a new angle on the Ghost and Mrs. Muir story I love the Ghost and Mrs. Muir. There have been so many good stories out there. I have watched the movie . and listened to the radio version. I think it was great of the producers to have Jane Wyatt play her mother after she had played Carolyn Muir on the radio. I hope you enjoy the story.
1. Chapter 1

The days seemed to come and go without meaning or time. There was a nothingness in his world. As the good looking man scratched his scruffy beard he watched out of the telescope and looked at the sea. 'The sea' he thought to himself. That was the one thing that had been a constant in his life. But, now he was in his forties and he was ready to settle down.

Captain Gregg had spent the last thirty plus years at sea. On one of his many voyages he had returned to his boyhood home and purchased some land. There with his own hands he had built a home. He was proud of Gull Cottage. The house was not an extremely large home, but it was efficient and had all of the modern conveniences that a home built in the mid 1800 s could offer. As he went down the stairs to his alcove, he reflected on his life.

When he had built the house he had planned on marrying a woman named Vanessa. She was everything that he could ever want and he had thought that when he came back to Schooner Bay they would get married. However, that was not meant to be . He had come home to find out that she had left town and was now married to someone else.

It was strange, but Captain Gregg was not that upset about Vanessa marrying someone else. As he looked up from his desk he thought about her. She was beautiful and he was sure that they could have had a good marriage. But, he was moving on and was sure that there was someone out there for him. He was sure of it.

Captain Gregg continued to work in his alcove looking over some of his maps and could hear the howling of the wind. He could see his monkey puzzle tree bending to the wind as he looked out of the large bay window. The window had been placed there so that he could always look out and see who was coming up the road. The window had a good view of the sea also. It was going to be a cold night. He could hear the pounding of the waves as he closed the shutters. He had built a wall, a wall that would keep the sea away from his precious Gull Cottage. He smiled to himself, knowing that he had planned the location of the home properly and that all would be fine with his home.

Gull Cottage had been carefully planned . He had built her on top of a knoll. The knoll was not that high, however, it was high enough to protect it from higher tides. Each window had protective shutters and each room had its own fireplace.

The one thing that Captain Gregg did not look forward to was going out in this storm. But a bad storm was brewing and he knew that if he didn't go out and get wood now the weather was going to be much worse. He dressed for the cold and headed out to the woodshed. As he stepped out of his warm home he was encountered by the storm. The winds were blistery and he estimated the gale to have winds in excess of sixty miles per hour. Because of the location of his home and the sea there was not much snow, but the trek to the woodshed seemed long on this long and cold night.

Captain Gregg looked at the pile of wood that he had stocked for the winter and nod his head with pride. There was plenty of wood and it was well seasoned. He stood tall with pride as he gathered up the wood and headed back to the house.

As Captain Gregg brought in the last of the wood he looked around. He was a careful man and checked every window and door in the home. The storm was going to be a bad one and he wanted to insure that everything was ready.

As he went up the stairs to his master bedroom, he carried two bundles of wood. He would need the heat . The room that he had designed and built himself was a large room with a fireplace that normally did a good job of providing heat. As he put more wood on the fire, he looked down at a new item that he had just purchased.

Captain Gregg was a modern man and when he had seen a heater that was advertised as being capable of heating an entire room he had purchased it. It was a new type of heater and worked with gas. The man at the store had been using it at the time when he had gone to the store and Captain Gregg had been impressed with the heat that it had given off. The room was indeed warm.

Now it was time for him to ready the heater for his use. The man had warned him of the dangers and Captain Gregg was very careful to do thins exactly as he had been told to. As he turned the heater on he smiled, almost immediately he could feel the heat.

Feeling quite safe, Captain Gregg went to his shelf and took out one of his favorite books. He sat back in his most comfortable chair and began to read the book.

Captain Gregg woke up to find himself somewhat disoriented. He looked around and realized that he wasn't walking on the floor. As a matter of fact, he was floating. It was then that he found himself floating towards the sea. But, when he reached the water, it was as though he was walking on the water, not through it.

At that moment he looked up at his beloved Gull Cottage . That was his home. He was not going to leave his home. But, the sea it was calling to him. "No No" he shouted and with the force of a very determined man Captain Gregg found himself in his bedroom looking down at his body. To his horror he saw what had happened. He had dozed off while reading and had accidently kicked the gas heater. He knew that he had died from the fumes from the gas heater.

Thus the story begins.


	2. Chapter 2

Time is a strange . One person spends their entire life watching the stars the sun the clock, but time has no meaning. As Captain Gregg looked out through his telescope, he watched time go by. An eternity was waiting for him and he was lonely.

Gull Cottage was there where he had built it so long ago. The sea the waves the seasons nothing seemed to change. Now, once more he heard the sound of the front door open once again. 'That blasted Clayton is back.' he shouted and threw his fists in the air. With the speed of a locomotive he was down the stairs and standing once more in the foyer.

He had died without a will and his half brother had taken over Gull Cottage. Daniel had little to do with him in his lifetime and wanted nothing to do with her in death. The man that he had known as a young boy had married an ugly woman. She was selfish and self centered and had a wart on her nose. She was cruel both inside and out.

For the past ten years he had tried to tell these people that Gull Cottage was his home and no one was going to be allowed to live there. His sister and her husband had lived there for almost two years, but had finally left. They had been stubborn and it wasn't until Captain Gregg had scared a large group of their friends into running out of the house that they had left in the middle of the night.

Captain Gregg laughed to himself as he remembered the party. Clayton and Maria had invited a group of friends over for a dinner and had become lively and disrespectful to his beloved Gull Cottage. Oh he had started out as a quiet gentleman who had stayed upstairs in his own room observing the sea, but as things had gotten louder and louder he had lost his temper.

He had gone downstairs to find the group of eight in his parlor. They were helping themselves to his madeira and were poking fun at the large picture of himself hanging over the mantle. As he had entered the room one of the men were standing in front of the painting and holding his glass up to a toast to the Captain. "Here's to the old goat. A suicide that put him to shame." he had said.

Nothing upset Captain Gregg than someone describing his death as a suicide. He had kicked the heater over by accident. At no time had suicide crossed his mind. But that darn newspaper had printed that he had committed suicide. 'Someday I will get my revenge on that newspaper, if it is the last thing I do' he shouted to himself.

With the speed and anger of a haunted man, Captain Gregg had let himself be seen. He had showed them himself while carrying a sword. He came at the men and women flailing his sword and threatening each and everyone of them. The group had run out of the house so fast that they had left their coats and everything their in the house. Captain Gregg laughed to himself as he watched them hurry away shivering in the cold night air that January brings the town of Schooner Bay Maine.

But getting rid of his brother and his wife had proven to be much harder. As the captain had stood there in the doorway laughing, his brother had turned and scolded him. "You would think that after ten years you would learn to act like the gentleman you never were. Get used to it Daniel, we live here now, you don't belong here." With that he and his wife had gone upstairs to his room and gone to bed.

It had been six months before Captain Gregg had finally managed to get the two of them out of his beloved home. It had been the middle of the winter and Maria had been in the kitchen. It was there that she had continued on her tirade of saying nasty things about the Captain. Captain Gregg had stopped appearing to her as he had found it was a vast loss of wasted energy. She had no heart and nothing he did was going to change.

Maria had been at the kitchen counter preparing dinner when Captain Gregg had enough. He appeared to her and had looked at her with the most piercing eyes that one could imagine. He had not lost his temper. At this point the captain just wanted to know what made her so full of hate. "May I ask why you hate everyone that you see and touch?" he had asked her.

For a moment Captain Gregg could see that his words had finally gotten to this woman. She turned towards him and said. "I just don't know. It is like a world of hate that I can't control. We will be out tonight.

Captain Gregg never saw her again. She and Clayton had moved out that evening. For the past few months the captain had been free to live his own death or whatever you could call it.

Now his brother was here with another man. Clayton was showing the house to he man. Captain Gregg looked the man over. He seemed to be a good man and seemed very interested in renting his Gull Cottage. As the captain looked out of the bay window that adorned his living room, he had seen a young woman with a small child who was looking at his small garden. She seemed to be nice, but Daniel Gregg was not going to have his privacy taken away.

As Clayton and the young man walked up the stairs to the large hallway Captain Gregg appeared in front of them. "You would be much happier in another home, this I promise you." he had said to the man in a low threatening voice. With that the man had run out of the house as fast as he could . The captain laughed loudly as he watched the man grab his wife and child and jump into the carriage.


	3. Chapter 3

Captain Gregg had been standing at his telescope looking out into his love the sea watching the world go by. He no longer had much interest in what was happening in the world. He was dead and that was that. What had happened to him had already happened and he was now facing an eternity of loneliness.

He had been a proud man and he was proud now. 'This must be what they call purgatory' he thought to himself. To think of spending eternity in a house that surely would someday fall down from neglect was not something that he looked forward to. 'If only ther4e was something I could do to redeem myself' he thought. No the newspaper had taken care of that.

It had now been near forty years since he had passed on. He groaned as he watched Clayton's son Claymore pull up in front of Gull Cottage. This man was no better than his father and was only interested in the money that the things in the Captain's home offered him. With the speed of a specter Captain Gregg was down in the foyer glaring at Claymore.

"What brings you to my home?" Captain Gregg shouted at the man who was looking at some of the antiques that hung on the wall. Claymore jumped when he heard the man. He never could understand why this ghost was still there. He had been in the home on several occasions when Captain Gregg had not bothered him. Now he stood in front of this ghost. 'It is the twentieth century and ghosts just didn't exist.' he thought to himself.

"I am here to take enough out of this home so that I can afford to pay the taxes. If I don't pay the taxes, they could tear down this home. You wouldn't like that would you?" With this Claymore stood his ground and waited for the thunder and lightening that usually happened whenever the Captain wasn't happy with what happened. But this time nothing happened.

Captain Gregg knew what this man said was true. There was nothing more precious to him than the home that he had built. Even though, he did not care about much, he did love his home. He looked around and realized that forty years had been tough on the home. He knew that if something wasn't don, the house would soon be not worth repairing.

With those thoughts, Captain Gregg cleared his throat and said "I will allow you to do this as long as you do some repairs on the property. It is true that the home needs some much needed repairs."

'Finally' Claymore thought to himself. He knew that he would have to use his words carefully. Captain Gregg was a touch man or ghost to deal with. But for the first time since he could remember the Captain had asked something of himself. He remembered going to Gull Cottage with his father and watching his father deal with very difficult spirit. There had been many times that he had actually been afraid of this man. However, there had been times that he had talked to Captain Gregg and found him to be a fascinating man. It was there in the master's cabin that he had watched the sea and the seasons with the ghost.

Claymore cleared his throat and smiled at the Captain "You are right. This house is starting to fall down. The workmanship and the talent that your bare hands show in the woodwork is magnificent. But, it needs someone here to keep it up. My son Claymore Jr is getting married and this would make a good home for them if you would allow them to live in peace. They are good people."

Captain Gregg wanted to shout "No." but he knew that he would need to make some kind of agreement. He thought a while and said "That could work if a few things were agreed to right away. There shall be no entering into the master bedroom. That shall be my sanctuary along with the wheel room. The house should be kept clean at all times. In return. when things are done right I will not bother them.

Clayton smiled as he left. He had done it. But, just as he was getting ready to get into his automobile he heard the Captain's voice. "My painting is to remain hanging over the mantle." he demanded.

"That is all right with me." Clayton told him.

And so the young couple moved in. The lady Clara was pretty and did keep a nice home. But. then life with them was busy. There was always something happening and Captain Gregg had to admit that he was even somewhat fond of the couple. They were not his relatives, he had never had any children and had no full brothers or sisters. These people always claimed that they were direct descendants of him and that angered him to no end.

It was at one of those moments as Clara had been on the telephone talking about her husband and his ancestor that the captain had too much. He had appeared to the lady . He had been angry and perhaps shouted a little loud, but Clara had run out of the home with her baby and was never seen again. She never even came back for her things. Claymore had come in and taken what was theirs.

From then on Claymore didn't stop by and Captain Gregg had all of the peace and quiet that he wanted. He would laugh as people walked by and almost ran when they went by his home. Clara had told everyone in town of her experience and the people were afraid of him. He was rather proud of him.

Many years had gone by and Captain Gregg was aware that the year had to be somewhere around 1912 now. The season had started to warm and he was sure that it was sometime in April. But as a spirit he sometimes felt things as they happened and tonight something was very wrong . He could feel the sea and the coldness and blackness of the sea as it surrounded the people in the water. So many people coming to the other side. So many people dying in the water. He saw the sinking of a ship and the end of so many lives. He went to meet some, some of the people who had died on that great ship the Titanic.

As he helped each spirit cross to his world he felt more fulfilled. When he arrived back at Gull Cottage he smiled . This was his home and he had done something good that evening.


	4. Chapter 4

The one thing that Captain Gregg had always liked was his privacy. He would work on his maps and spend much of his days just enjoying his home. However, fifty years was a long to be alone. He missed many of his shipmates and this was his eternity.

Each year the sea rolled in and the seasons changed with the Captain. Things were the same day after day year after year. He longed for a friend. More than that he longed for someone to love and spend his time with. Oh, there had been the occasional attempt by other members of his alleged family who had tried to move in, but he had made sure that their stay was short. He always made sure that the people wouldn't come back.

'There must be someone in the world for me.' he thought to himself. He was a reasonably good looking man with strong shoulders and a strong personality. He knew that the woman he wanted needed to be strong willed to be able to put up with him.

But the days went on and on with nothing changing. It was then that an old shipmate of his came to visit. Nathan had been one of the many friends that Daniel Gregg had made in life. But, unlike Daniel he had lived a long life and had just recently passed on at the ripe old age of 93.

As the two men stood in the master's cabin next to the telescope they spoke of their lives at sea. "Daniel, we could go back to the sea and enjoy the adventure together once again." Nathan told him with an honest sound to his voice.

Captain Gregg knew that he was right. The afterlife that he was living was not what he had wished for. He was a lonely man . But, he knw somehow that someone was going to become a part of his afterlife and that he must wait for her. He was not sure who she was or how she would come, but he knew that he must wait.

So Daniel turned to his old friend and told him "Thank you for your offer. There is nothing better sounding to these ears than the thought of going back to the sea. But, somehow I know that this is where I am supposed to be. Someone is coming to be with me and so here I will stay. Please remember old friend, you are always welcome here on my ship."

The rest of the visit was too short. It was far too short, and Daniel watched sadly as his friend and companion vanished. He knew that Nathan was on his way to the sea. 'The sea, the first love of his life.' he thought to himself.

Could it have been weeks or years since he had seen another human being dare to go inside of Gull Cottage? But, as he was working on some of his maps he heard the unmistakable sound of the front door opening. As he went out to the foyer to see who had come in he saw a young boy. The Captain took one look at the small nervous little fellow and wanted to scream.

Claymore Gregg was now five years old and some of the boys in town were picking on him. They called him scaredy pants and laughed at him all of the time. They had dared him to go into the haunted house, the one on Gregg road that was known as Gull Cottage. His father had inherited the house from his father, but had told him to stay away.

"My father told me about what happened when he went to the cottage and you need to stay away. There is the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg there and lord knows what he will do to you." his father had warned him.

Claymore lived with his mom and dad on the other side of town and had no intention of ever going over to the old cottage. The cottage was run down and looked as though it was haunted. But the boys had dared him and here he was. As he walked into the room on the left he adjusted his eyes. He had always had bad vision and wore thick glasses. He took the glasses off and cleaned them. Once he put them back on and let his eyes adjust to the light he saw a face. For a second he thought that he was looking at a ghost. But then he realized that it was just a portrait. There was something written on a plaque under it but Claymore couldn't read yet.

As he walked through the large house Claymore noticed all of the antiques. 'They must be worth some money' he had thought to himself. Each and every room was dark and dreary and full of dust. He sneezed as some of the dust got into his sinuses. Up the stairs to the right he opened the door. The room was large and filled with antique furniture. Straight ahead he saw a balcony with a large telescope. As he walked over to touch the telescope he realized something. Although, everything in the house was dirty and covered with dust the telescope appeared to be freshly shined.

Claymore was young and small for his age. He could not see through the telescope. He looked around the room and found a box to stand on. He had a little trouble getting up so that he could peer into the telescope, but finally managed. As he reached up and took the telescope in his hands he looked out towards the sea. To his horror he did not see the sea. Instead staring back to him was a man's face. The man was evil with a scruffy beard and what appeared to be a seaman's hat on.

With the quickness of a scared rabbit, Claymore screamed at the top of his lungs and ran out the door down the stairs and out into the street. He shook with such fear as he watched in horror the same man stand on the balcony and laugh at him. The laugh was hideous and cruel and Claymore would never forget that moment. He wouldn't stop running until he got to his house.

The worst part about sneaking into that house was that Claymore couldn't tell anyone what he had seen. If he told the other boys they would beat him up even more and laugh even harder at him. He couldn't tell his parents because he had bee told not to go there. So, Claymore just went to his room and cried.

Captain Gregg laughed to himself. 'He won't be back' he thought. Little did he know how wrong he could be.


	5. Chapter 5

This year had been a pleasant one as far as the Captain had noticed. The weather had been pleasant for most of the winter. He had heard the rumors of another war stirring in Europe. But his time had been pleasant enough. That child had not come back and he laughed to himself, thinking of how the young boy had run all the way down Gregg Rd. He had no relatives who was this family who claimed that they were Greggs? 'Blast.' How could he explain to these people that he had no relatives? They wouldn't listen.

That five year old boy had gone home and not said a word about him. He was a very timid boy, the kind that Daniel Gregg could not stand. Now, he was going to try to put the claim in to being his great great nephew. 'I will see to it that he never claims that' the Captain thought to himself.

The year was 1938, September the Captain thought. He was in his room watching the sea when he knew the sea was getting ready to rise and cause havoc to any man who dared to enter the waters.

Although, because of his present condition, the Captain stayed at his love Gull Cottage in Schooner Bay Maine, he sometimes did travel. This was one of these days. Only a fool would go out to sea in this weather, and he knw that many a fool would. Out to sea not far from the city of Boston Captain Gregg could hear the souls of the seamen who had foolishly ventured out to sea.

There were signs of bad weather to come. A man of the sea need to take heed of such warnings. The Captain could see by the color of the sky and the feel of the air. He knew that there was a bad storm brewing and it was time to batten down the hatches. One's life and ship were always to be protected.

But, as there had been foolish men in his time, there were foolish men of the sea in this time. It was then that the Captain made the decision to go to the aid of one of the many ships that were in trouble. As the Captain managed to arrive upon the deck of the small fishing vessel, he looked around in disgust. The men were fools and if he did not take the ship's wheel from the man who was trying to steer her the ship would certainly flounder.

Captain Perkins had gone to one of the best fishing places that he knew of. The fish had been biting and the trip had been very successful. It was in the early hours of the morning that the weather had started to show it's nasty face. At first, the signs had been subtle, a quick breeze that blew hard against his face, and then things had gone rapidly downwards from there.

The ship, the Penniford, was a new ship, and had all of the modern equipment. That morning Captain Perkins had called inland on his radio that there was a storm brewing. But, things had already been stirring in Boston and most of the east coast. The radio had gone silent as the man with whom he had been speaking was no longer answering his call.

Within the hour, the sea had lifted his angry head and had begun pounding on his tiny vessel. The ship was too small and his crew too inexperienced to survive in such a squall. By now, he was sure that he was headed directly towards a hurricane. His best thoughts were to get to the nearby island some ten nautical miles away and wait out the storm. But, the ship was not responding. Try as he could she was still going in circles. The ship was doomed if he did not make the turn. Captain Perkins and his crew knew this.

It was then that Captain Perkins was sure that he had completely lost his mind. Without warning a tall man with a salt and pepper beard appeared on his deck. He was dressed as a Captain of the seas from many years ago. With the swiftness of an imaginary being, the man took over the helm. He was a strong and brave man. He fought the sea and within a short time had the Peniford headed in the right direction.

The feel of a ship is something that Captain Gregg had longed for . It had been nearly seventy years since he had owned his own ship. He laughed as the salt water splashed his face. He could no longer feel the salt water nor smell it either, but he knew that it was there. For three hours he fought the wind and the rain, finally reaching the safety of a small inlet. There he steered the ship to safety.

Once the Captain saw that everyone was safe he disappeared from their sight. He did not want the questions. He did not wish to speak to the men. He had saved their lives and that was it.

Captain Perkins had assisted the Captain whenever he was asked and had fought alongside the strange man. As they had finally reached safety, he had turned to thank the man. The man vanished right in front of his eyes. He had saved the ship. But, who was he? He would find him somehow, for he owed him his life.

The Captain returned to the shores. It had indeed been a hurricane. The hurricane had virtually destroyed most of the eastern seaboard. There was widespread destruction everywhere and he thought of his home Gull Cottage. His home had been built to withstand such things, but this was one of the worst hurricanes that he had ever seen. The loss of life and property had been massive.

As the Captain came upon his home, he was relieved to find that his home had indeed withstood the winds. There was a small amount of damage to the outside of the home, but the house had weathered the storm as he had planned so many years ago. Schooner Bay did have a lot of down trees and many roofs had been damaged, but there had been no serious injuries and the homes could be repaired.

Once satisfied that everything was going to be fine, the Captain went back to his maps and relaxed.


	6. Chapter 6

Claymore Gregg had learned that by penny pinching his own money he had managed to save a tidy little sum. He made more money by loaning kids at school money and then charging them a fifty cent charge for the loan. He sat on his bed and laughed at the thirty dollars that he had saved.

Claymore was just seven years old and he was on his way to making a ton of money. He had even loaned one of his father's friends twenty dollars and had been paid back twenty one dollars. He threw his money up in the air and shouted in glee as all of the money fell on the bed. It was time for him to go to the bank and put more money in it.

That was when he thought of all the antiques and things that were now just rotting away in the house that he knew was haunted. He would have to find out how his family had come into owning the own. After all a ghost had nothing to do with items left in their house. The house and the items belonged to his family now.

But, he could hear his father downstairs and thought that he would ask him about Gull Cottage. As entered the large kitchen he found his mother and father sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea. His mom had made some oatmeal and Claymore took his seat.

Claymore looked at his parents and asked them "How did we get to own Gull Cottage? More, importantly, why don't we sell it and take the money? It's an old house and it looks like it could fall down. The property is near the ocean and must be worth a lot of money." he told his parents. As he looked at his father, he tried to look very serious.

His father got up from the table and seemed to take a long time pouring himself another cup of tea. As he had his back to his son he asked "Why are you so interested in something that only adults should be interested in?"

"Daddy, we need to think of ourselves. The house costs us money and it is just a dump. Maybe we could move in there ourselves and sell this house. That house is a lot bigger and it has a larger yard with a beach right across the street. Claymore watched as his father took his seat slowly and seemed to have some trouble choosing his words. HIs mother sat there saying nothing, but had no color in her face at all.

"Well, I can tell you how we got to own the cottage. The home was built by a Sea Captain by the name of Daniel Gregg. He had no brothers. just a half brother. His half brother wanted nothing to do with the home. But, Captain Gregg had been raised by an aunt after his parents died. She was your great great great aunt. That is how Captain Gregg came to be your uncle. When no one else wanted the home, it was offered to my father. But, my parents couldn't live there. The house was in too bad a shape. They put in the plumbing and added electricity, but the house was never a home to them. My parents left there one day and never returned."

Claymore noticed that his father had not mentioned the ghost. He was sure that his father knew of the ghost. So Claymore inquired about the ghost of Captain Gregg. "I was told that the house is haunted by Captain Gregg. Are you nervous about going there?"

With the tenderness of a father, Claymore's father told him. "There are things that I can't explain. The house does not want us there. As for a ghost, I don't know. But I have heard and seen things that make me want to stay away. You stay away too." he warned him.

Captain Gregg was in the wheel house when he heard the sounds of someone entering the home. The person who had entered was trying to be quiet, but the Captain knew that they were there. He could sense the change in the atmosphere. As he came down the stairs, he saw who was in his home. It was that scrawny boy who had been there a while ago. 'Blast' he said to himself, 'I thought that I had gotten rid of him.'

Claymore was very nervous about entering Gull Cottage, but he was set on confronting the ghost of Captain Gregg. This was going to be his home someday and he wanted to make sure that he explained to the Captain how his family had come to own the own.

But, he nearly fainted when Captain Gregg appeared right beside him. Claymore managed to stay upright and said "Captain Gregg I need to talk to you."

Captain Gregg looked down at the young boy and laughed, a deep cold cruel laugh. "I have nothing to say to you. Leave me and my home alone. If you knew what was good for you, you would have stayed away." he nearly yelled at the boy.

"My name is Claymore Gregg and you are my great great uncle. I want to look at the house and all of the many antiques that are still here." he managed to say in a voice that was both whiney and trembling.

"I am the only son of an only son and therefore have no relatives. I never married, you blubbering child. Besides that no relative of mine would shake and whine in such a way that you are." he told him.

"But, but, it is true. My great great great aunt is the lady who raised you. You are my uncle." Claymore whined.

But Captain Gregg was in no mood to listen to such nonsense and laughed. "Gull Cottage is mine and you or no other persons will ever come here and make this your home. I shall get rid of the lot of you within a few minutes of the time that you move in." he laughed. "Now leave!" and with that there was the loud sounds of thunder and lightening and the rain began to pour.

Poor Claymore found himself jumping on his bike and riding away from Gull Cottage as fast as he could. He didn't stop peddling until He arrived downtown. No antique was worth all that trouble.

Back at Gull Cottage the Captain contemplated what Claymore had said. 'No he is not related to me' and with that he went back to the alcove to work on his maps once more.


	7. Chapter 7

Brad and Emily Williams had been married for just a few short years when to their delight a little girl was born to them. They named her Carolyn and with the dreams of a young couple they looked forward to the raising of her.

Brad and Emily Williams were the pillars of Philadelphia society and their daughter had everything that their money and status offered them. It was now the 1930's and although there was a depression in the United States they had survived. As the parents of a young child, they felt blessed.

Carolyn grew up in the lap of luxury in the best of private schools. It was there that she met the man that she would marry. Although, Carolyn found herself very happy when they were together, there was something missing. Words could not explain the feeling that she had, but Bobby Muir was not her idea of the best type of husband she could find.

Emily Williams watched as her daughter went out the door once more going off to see that young man Bobby Muir. Emily was pleased with her daughter's choice, but had some concern about the vibes that she was receiving from Carolyn.

That evening when Brad came back from work she spoke to her husband Brad about what she thought was happening with Carolyn. Brad had thought about it and the two parents had made up their mind that evening to speak to Carolyn about it. They wanted Carolyn to be happy. Yes, Bobby Muir was everything that they wanted .

Bobby was a bright young architect and had landed a job at one of the most prestigious firms in the city. He was from a well respected family and would make a good husband and father to any children that they might have. But, utmost, both Brad and Emily wanted what was the best for their daughter.

Carolyn had been at the country club with Bobby all evening, and they had stepped out onto the balcony. There he proposed marriage to her. It was a wonderful setting and Carolyn readily accepted. The ring was a little large, but the next morning Bobby and her were going to go to the jewelers and have the ring sized.

When Carolyn got home that night she was surprised to find her parents both still awake. She was well aware that her mother stayed up most of the time waiting for her to get home. However, she was usually in her room and would turn out her lights shortly after she had made sure that Carolyn was all right.

As Carolyn came into the foyer, her mother called her into the living room. "Hon, we want to make sure that you and Bobby Muir are getting along all right and that you are happy." her mother and father both spoke.

With the excitement of a young bride to be she showed her parents the ring that Bobby had given her that evening. Brad spoke up and said "Carolyn, you don't have to marry him. If there is any doubt about your feelings, don't get married.

Carolyn was frustrated and angry that her parents thought of her and Bobby that way. "We are not children, you know. We are both twenty-three years old and have to make our own choices." With that she went upstairs to her room. She felt like crying, but held back the tears.

That night she climbed out of her bedroom window and Carolyn Williams married Bobby Muir. The next morning when they arrived back at home and told their parents, their life was changed forever. Carolyn moved into Bobby's small apartment and their life began. But, Carolyn knew that something was indeed missing from her life. She just didn't know what.

Martha Grant had been looking for a new family to take care of and had been thrilled to see that there was a lady named Carolyn Muir, who was looking for maid, and friend. She had met Carolyn when she was a young teenager and had read in the society page about her wedding to Bobby Muir. She knew that the Williams family were honest and decent people. When Carolyn offered the job to her she was even happier.

Just a little over four years after Bobby and Carolyn married they had a daughter Candace. She was called Candy from the first day that she was born. She had her mom's blonde hair and blue eyes. Carolyn was sure that she would also attend the best of the private schools in Philadelphia. She was going to be a young lady, as her mother had been. It was now the 1950's and women had a lot of freedom.

Less than two years later Jonathan was born. He was the pride of Bobby Muir. But, their marriage was not a very happy one. Carolyn and Bobby had so little in common with each other and his family was always meddling in their business. Also, Bobby had not turned out to be a very good architect. As a matter of fact, the only reason why the firm kept him working there was because of his good name and connections.

There seemed to be a shortage of everything in their marriage. There was never enough money, but most of all never enough love.

The year was 1964 and Carolyn had been out in the back yard with Candy and Jonathan when there had been a knock on the door. As Carolyn opened the door she noticed that there were two policemen standing there. Bobby had been killed by a drunk driver and Carolyn was now a widow with But Carolyn was a fighter and she knew that she was going to be all right.

Carolyn explained to her friend Martha that she had very little money, but Martha insisted on staying with her. "We will be all right, Mrs. Muir." she had told her as the two hugged and got ready for a life with no man in the house.


	8. Chapter 8

Captain Daniel Gregg had been standing outside of his home at Gull Cottage enjoying the morning air, when he spotted the car. 'Blast' it was that stupid Claymore. Now that his parents had moved to Florida, Claymore had taken over the family business. The Captain laughed as he looked at the skinny nervous man walking up the walkway to his home. 'I'll soon be rid of him' he thought.

The last place that Claymore wanted to be was at Gull Cottage. Again and again he had tried in vain to rent the home. But, most people didn't even make it through the evening. The last couple had run out of the house in the middle of eating their dinner. Time and time again Captain Gregg had seen to it that no one ever stayed at the home for long.

Claymore did have keys, but never bothered to lock the cottage. The Captain would make sure that no one did anything to the cottage. He had managed to take some antiques out and sell them, though. He was proud of himself. After all the items were his now and he had to pay the taxes on the property, so he didn't feel guilty.

As the door whined open and Claymore's eyes adjusted to the darkness that met him in the hallway he looked around the foyer nervously. The house smelled as though no one had been there as the air was very stale. The rooms were dark, even though there was lots of sun outside. Even when Claymore went over and pulled the curtains open the living room still seemed very dark. As Claymore stood in front of the painting of the Captain he heard the Captain's voice.

"Claymore, what are you doing here? Get out of my house now!' he shouted.

Blubbering like an idiot and about to faint he turned around to meet the Captain face to face once more. "Captain, um Uncle I need to do something with this house. The taxes are high and the town is complaining that it is an eye sore." he managed to get out.

The last thing that Captain Gregg wanted was people from town coming in and out of his home and property snooping around. They could indeed invade his privacy. Even he had noticed the condition of the outside of the home. After a few moments the Captain agreed to allow some work to be done on the home. "I will allow workers on my property to repair the outside of the home. That is all. If I find that they are not doing their job or snooping around they will have me to contend with. Do you understand?" he said with a look in his eyes that would make a man's blood run cold.

Claymore swallowed and agreed to the Captain's demands. But, as he turned around he said "I will need to pay for the repairs. So, I want to take a few small items from the house." As he he said this he cringed.

The Captain raised both of his fists in the air and the thunder and lightening struck Gull Cottage once more. "You have taken many of my items already Claymore. You penny pinching thoughtless man. Pay for the workers with the money that you have already made." he shouted.

Back in Philadelphia Carolyn Muir was busy raising two children. The money was very tight and they were going to lose the house. She was not a child and was determined not to tell her parents or her in laws. She had been taking some courses at the local community college and was learning to be a writer. This had always been her dream.

As Carolyn looked out her living room window, she knew that she was going to have to do something and do something soon. She needed to make a change in her life and the lives of her children. As she glanced through one of the magazines at the grocery store, she saw an article about a small town in Maine. She picked up the magazine and took it home.

The day had been a particularly hard one. Carolyn had been to the bank and learned that if she sold her home, she would have but two thousand dollars left over for her and her family. She was not going to be able to live long on that amount of money. After all, she had two children and a housekeeper that counted on her for their support. She knew that she could sell many of her items and move into a rented apartment. But that wasn't good either. Her mother and father in law were always offering her a place to live. But, her father in law was not that easy to get along with and she wanted her independence.

As Carolyn got home, she took a seat on the couch and began to read about the town of Schooner Bay, Maine. The scenery and photos were very appealing and she knew that the cost of living in Maine was a lot cheaper than living in Philadelphia. However, here in Philadelphia her children would get the best education. It was a tough decision. At the end of the article she noticed an advertisement for a real estate agent. The man's name Claymore Gregg and Carolyn decided to write him a letter that day.

The next few weeks were pure hell on Captain Gregg. The painters were loud and walked in and out of Gull Cottage freely. But, they did get the house painted and the roof was no longer leaking. They had also raked the leaves. He smiled to himself as the last of the workers finally left. He was alone again.

Claymore Gregg had been at his office when he received the letter from Mrs. Carolyn Muir. He read how she was a widow with two small children a housekeeper and a dog. He had several properties to offer, but she had a very limited budget. He thought of Gull Cottage. After all, the place had just been cleaned up and from the outside it looked good. With a good cleaning the inside could be nice also. But, Captain Gregg was not going to allow them to stay there. He just knew it.

As Claymore sat at his desk and handed out the money to pay for the repairs, his cheapness got to him. 'Why should I have to p at for everything and get nothing in return for it?' he thought to himself. He then picked up his pen and wrote Mrs. Muir a letter.

Dear Mrs. Muir

I have what I think would be a perfect place for you and your family. It is just outside of town on a quiet road where there is very little traffic. The home has a beach directly across the street and has four bedrooms. There is a large eat in kitchen an alcove and a large living room. The house has just been painted and some minor repairs have been done on the outside.

The home has been empty for a while and will need a full cleaning. In exchange for a rental reduction of twenty-five dollars a month, I am willing to rent the home to you if you do the necessary repairs.

Enclosed is a photo.

Claymore Gregg

******.

Carolyn Muir had been thrilled when Mr. Gregg had answered her letter so quickly. She looked at the photo of the home and smiled. It was just what she waned. That evening she told her children about her decision to move to Schooner Bay Maine. Both Jonathan and Candy were thrilled. Her friend and housekeeper Martha Grant was less enthusiastic but readily agreed to come with the family.

Carolyn wrote Mr. Gregg that evening and agreed to the terms of the lease. If the house was too bad, she would deal with it later. But, she was sure that with a little elbow grease any home could be cleaned up. Besides this was her chance to become a writer and for once live her life as she wanted to. She knew that in Philadelphia she would always be under the watchful eye of family members that meant well. But they were always meddling in her affairs and she wanted to do thins her own way.

Much to the horror of Carolyn's parents and her in laws Carolyn and her family sold everything, but what they could carry in their little comet station wagon and headed up to Schooner Bay, Maine, to start a new life.


	9. Chapter 9

aptain Gregg had been standing next to his telescope looking out onto the ocean. He longed for the sea more than anyone could imagine. But, his loyalty to Gull Cottage and his love for his home was stronger. The years were starting to put a strain on him, though. Certainly he didn't age and he had none of the pains of being mortal, but still... There was something missing and he knew that somehow he was still waiting for that certain something to happen.

It was then that he saw a brown and white station wagon pull up in front of his home. Even, from the distance of his cabin, he could see that the woman who stepped out of the car, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was an angel sent from above. 'Daniel Gregg, what are you thinking? This is just another human that wants to invade her space. Get rid of her.' he thought to himself.

As he watched from his balcony he saw Claymore approaching in his old car. The car was very old and the radiator was always overheating. Even, to the Captain, the man looked ridiculous. The Captain laughed to himself as he thought of the things the people of Schooner Bay must think of this penny pinching whimp of a man who insisted he was his nephew. 'Blast' he thought.

Carolyn Muir had just stepped out of her car and was admiring the house that she was going to be calling home. The house was in bad need of repair, but she had known that. There was a lovely beach and a view of the hospital. As she looked up on the balcony that overlooked the beach, for a moment she thought that she saw something. But, she shrugged her shoulders blaming what she thought she had seen on the long ride that she had just taken and nerves.

As she turned to her children, who were very excited at the new home she saw an old run down car coming down the street. She winced as she saw the car pull up behind her and a tall lanky man get out.

"Hello I am Claymore Gregg. Are you Mrs. Muir?' he said as he reached out and shook her hand.

"I am. The house looks lovely." she told him. "This is my friend Martha Grant and my two children Candy and Jonathan."

Quivering and glancing up at the cottage Claymore said "I have decided to rent you another cottage. This cottage is no longer available. Here is your check back."

This took Carolyn Muir by complete surprise. She had written to the man and he had promised her that Gull Cottage was available and that she was more than welcome to rent the home. She also had a lease in her hand. Swallowing hard she looked Mr. Gregg in the face and said "I am here because this is the home that I chose for my family. I don't want my check back, I want to rent this house."

Claymore groaned and looked at her nearly begging. "Please Mrs. Muir, I have several other cottages. This one needs a lot of work and it is so far from town. Please can't we go back to my office and you at least look at the other homes?" he asked.

"No. I want to see this one thank you." Carolyn told her.

With a groan and a nervous step Claymore bowed and led the family up the stairs. As he opened the door Carolyn could hear the groan as if the door had not been opened in quite a while. But the moment she walked into the foyer, she knew that this was where she wanted to make her new home for her family.

Jonathan had heard a door shut upstairs as he had come into the house. He was a curious six year old boy and climbed the stairs gingerly. As he went into the room where he had seen the door shut, he saw the telescope. It was brass and very shiny. Jonathan wanted to see how far he could see through it and went right to it. But, he was too short, and so he found a box to stand on. Just as he was getting ready to see the ocean he heard a voice. It was a man's voice and he jumped, because he knew it didn't belong to the man that was downstairs.

As Jonathan turned around he saw a man in a sailor's suit standing behind him. He was tall and had a beard. But something about him was a little different. Jonathan wasn't sure what it was but he wasn't scared. After all he was the man of the house and he wanted to know who this man was. "I am sorry sir, I didn't know that anyone was here." he managed to say.

Captain Gregg had always admired someone with courage and this young man was obviously a little scared of him, but he was standing his ground and showing him respect. "Lad, what brings you to my home?" he asked.

"My mom has rented this house from Mr. Gregg. We are moving in today. Are you a friend of Mr. Greggs?" he asked.

Such innocence. But, of course, the boy didn't know that he was a ghost . So with that Captain Gregg spoke kindly to the young man. "No we are not related. This is my home and has been my home for one hundred years. I am sorry, but you cannot move in."

Jonathan didn't know what to say. 'How could this man have lived there for one hundred years? He didn't look that old' So, he said "But my mom has driven here from Philadelphia and she said that the house is ours now."

The Captain was very angry that Claymore had put him and that woman and children in such a spot. But, this was his house and they couldn't move in. Then he thought of the lad's beautiful mother and how he would like to perhaps see what type of person she was. So he told the boy. "Son, I died in this house one hundred years and I like my privacy. What is your name?"

Jonathan wasn't sure what to say. If this man has been dead for over one hundred years he must be a ghost. But the man seemed nice and reasonable . So Jonathan took a big gulp and said "We can't leave. My mom has spent all of our money moving us. Perhaps if you don't bother us, we won't bother you."

As the Captain looked down at the young boy who was standing in front of him with such fire in his eyes that for the first time in a long time he found himself smiling. Yes, he was smiling a genuine smile. He liked this lad. "I will tell you what Jonathan. If you do not do anything to harm or damage my ship and you treat me with respect, perhaps you can stay for a while. Now, when you touch the telescope you treat it with respect. Go ahead and climb up on the box and I will show you how to use it." he told him.

Jonathan climbed up on the box and listened intently as the Captain described everything that could be seen. He also showed him how to bring things into focus. But then he heard his mom calling and he told the Captain that he had to go.

Captain Gregg dematerialized then and followed Jonathan down the stairs. He would not allow himself to be seen yet, he wanted to see and hear more from the lady that he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off.


	10. Chapter 10

Carolyn Muir had been looking at the portrait of the man over the fireplace. He was a very handsome man, with a scruffy beard and the eyes of the devil. He was dressed in his Captain's uniform. She read the plaque underneath the picture. It said Captain Daniel Gregg 1869. 'How said that I will never get to meet that man. He must have been quite a gentleman in his day.' she thought to herself.

As Carolyn turned she could once again see Mr. Gregg looking around the room nervously. 'Haunted, right. He is just a very nervous person' she thought to herself. She loved the home and when she walked into the kitchen she fell in love with the home even more. The kitchen was indeed very dated and the stove had to be seventy years old. But it worked and it had a working sink. Off the kitchen was a laundry room. There was a pantry and a perfect place to sit and have her coffee.

Martha Grant had been in some strange homes in her life, but this was one of the strangest. As she had been checking out the kitchen where she was going to spend most of her time, she had felt as though she was being watched. She was a sensible woman and shook it of. All this talk about spirits was getting to her. But, the stove worked and the kitchen was bright and cheery, she could get used to it.

As Mr. Gregg took them up the stairs Carolyn found three good size bedrooms. But, the master suite was the gem of the entire home. It was large and bright with a balcony that overlooked the ocean. The room was very dusty and needed a thorough cleaning. But it would work and there was a desk where she could do her writing in privacy. As Carolyn walked over to the doors that opened onto the balcony she took a good look at the telescope. Unlike the other objects in the room this was clean and polished. The telescope looked as though it had been very recently used.

Carolyn turned to Mr. Gregg and said "This telescope is shiny and clean. Why is that?"

Claymore Gregg began to fumble and mumble and then said "It's Captain Gregg. I told you." With that he foolishly looked into the telescope just to see the Captain's face staring back at him. With that he ran out of the room telling the Muir's that they had better leave if they knw what was good for them. But to Carolyn's amazement, she heard a loud laugh. It was a loud somewhat threatening laugh 'Oh you are just imagining things. All this talk about ghosts, has you spooked' she thought to herself.

Jonathan watched in amusement as Mr. Gregg got into his car and left in such a hurry that he left tire marks. He liked the Captain and he wanted to stay here. He had never met anyone like him. As he was sitting on the wall the Captain appeared to him once more. "That is how I get rid of people that don't belong aboard my ship." he told the boy with a laugh.

Jonathan smiled and gave a little giggle also. "I like Gull Cottage. This is going to be a lot of fun." he told his new friend. But, you do know that this is a house, not a ship." he told him.

"I call it a ship and it is my ship. Keep that in mind Jonathan." Captain Gregg found himself feeling more and more comfortable with the lad. He was a good young man. Now, he wanted to get to know the rest of the family. He disappeared and went inside. There he found everyone busily cleaning the house. The house was truly beginning to look like a home for the first time in one hundred years and he liked it.

All four of the new residents of Gull Cottage worked throughout the day cleaning the home. When they had finished, the home actually was beginning to look pretty good. But, it was in bad shape. The walls hadn't been painted in years and the electricity and plumbing were archaic. Mr. Gregg said that he had done some work on the house, but other than a new paint job Carolyn couldn't see much modernization.

Nothing worked or when it worked it wasn't dependable. Carolyn had to put candles in every room because of electrical problems. When she tried to call out a painter and handyman the phone went dead. She had laughed at the old fashioned phone that stood on the table in the front hall. It was an old candlestick phone, the type of phone that she hadn't seen since she was a child. That type of phone was only used in museums for the most part now.

The Captain watched with wonder as the family worked so hard. He had not decided as to who he was going to show himself to. He watched the young girl and thought about letting her know him. But, he wasn't sure. She was a pretty little girl about eight years old. She had the hair and eyes of her mother and freckles that covered much of her face. He was sure that she looked a lot like her mother when she was a child.

The day went quickly and the Captain had behaved. For the first time he hadn't attempted to throw strangers out. The mother, Mrs. Muir, she was not only the most beautiful woman he could remember having ever seen, but she was kind and gentle also. She was a lady through and through and he wanted her to meet him. 'I will have to chose the right time. I do not want her to leave running like the rest. No, she won't leave she is not that type.' he thought to himself. With a sigh he went into the chart room for privacy.

Dinner had just been finished and Mrs. Muir went into the living room to spend time with her children. The children tried to turn on the television, but that wasn't working either. She was going to have to have someone come in and adjust it. So, she took out a game for the family to play.

But everyone at the house was tired. They had worked hard all day and the ride had been a long one. As Carolyn put the children to bed she smiled. "I love this house Mom, Captain Gregg is great." Jonathan told her.

"Mom, will you please tell Jonathan to stop talking about the Captain? There is no such thing as a ghost. Was I this bad when I was six?" Candy asked her mother.

"Oh who can remember back that far." Carolyn told her daughter gently. The Captain lived here a long time ago and although, he has died, his spirit still lives on in people's hearts."

As the Captain stood in the shadows he smiled 'a lady, a lady indeed.' he thought.


	11. Chapter 11

Carolyn Muir had been looking out of the window of the large master bedroom when Claymore had run out of the room. . She had watched in amazement as Claymore Gregg had run down the stairs and out the door. She had tried to call him back, but he wasn't listening. She had started to call to Jonathan who had run out of the front door with him, when she noticed something. Jonathan was sitting on the old stone wall and seemingly speaking to someone. Someone that she couldn't see.

'Ghosts'. Carolyn was a clear headed person who didn't believe in spirits. All of this talk was making her imagination go wild. "Come on Jonathan, we have a lot of work to do." she called to her son.

As Martha and Carolyn made up all of the beds, she smiled. The home was beautiful and she knew that she could be very happy there. Although, the house had four bedrooms upstairs she chose to keep one of the rooms as a guest room. Candy and Jonathan would share the large room next to the the master's room for at least the time being. This way she could hear them if she was needed.

Martha was not very impressed with the new home. The house was filthy and totally neglected. To add to the problem, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. But her room was nice. It was small, but it had a large closet and it was next door to the children and the bathroom. She was happy with it.

Everyone had finally gotten into bed, but there was no electricity and the thunder and lightening was deafening. She was walking around the rooms downstairs checking each and every lock when she walked into the living room. The room was darker than dark . She was standing in the middle of the room when she saw the face of the Captain once again.

She let out a small yelp, until she realized that it was the painting. It was then that she heard the laughter again. She turned quickly but could se nothing. Then the candle went out, even though there was no wind. As she lit the candle again it went out again. She turned and said "I know that you are here Captain Gregg. With that the window opened once again and as she shut the door she confronted the ghost for the first time.

"If there is anything that I hate is a cowardly ghost." Carolyn had said out loud.

This was too much for the Captain. How dare she stand on her ship and call him a coward. As he looked at the candle that he had blown out one more time, he said "Light the candle." in a demanding voice.

With trembling hands Carolyn lit the candle. She turned around to see Captain Gregg standing there. He was every bit as handsome as he was in th portrait. But, he couldn't let this strange family move in and ruin his world.

She was a strong willed woman all right. He had always been a push over to a woman who cried. She had no money and needed a place to stay. Oh what was he to do? The house was so quiet now. That was when he watched the family leave. No, he couldn't take it. Soon the car would be far away. That wouldn't work, he jumped into the car and grabbed the wheel.

Oh Carolyn fought him, but he could feel that her heart wasn't in it. He turned the car around and stalled it in front of Gull Cottage. He then saw to it that all of the electricity came on. As the family came back he smiled. Perhaps this is what he had been looking for all of this time.

Carolyn was so upset, now here they were back at Gull Cottage. As she went to use the phone she once again was met by a dead line. But, as she turned she saw her suitcases going back up the stairs. She followed them and entered her room. There she confronted the Captain. Oh how could she argue with such a handsome gentleman? He had the kindest face and she was hot tempered as was he. But, the home was beautiful and she knew that she could be happy here.

Candy and Jonathan were glad to climb back into their beds . Candy didn't like all of the talk about the ghost, but the home felt comforting to her. She knew that this was a good home and she hoped that this would be her home forever.

Jonathan thought of Captain Gregg and all of the things that they could do together. He had only been two years old when his own father had died. He had seen photos of him, but did not remember him at all.

Martha was too tired to think about anything but sleep and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She made sure that she had matches and a candle next to her incase the lights went out again.

Carolyn had been going around the home once again checking the locks when she had heard the Captain's voice. He was sitting in a chair and speaking to Candy and Jonathan as they slept. He was welcoming them to his home. She didn't want to admit to herself what was happening, but she was falling in love with the strange man who had died over a hundred years ago. She never wanted to leave. This was her home.

As the Captain had been speaking to the children in their sleep he had seen Mrs. Muir standing at the door. She was in a negligee and looked beautiful. He smiled to her and stood up. He walked over to her and said "I will always be here for you my dear. I will protect you and your family always."

With a smile he disappeared and went up on the widow's walk where he would keep a watch out for any danger from now on. He now had a family to protect and he took that responsibility serious.


End file.
